Medicare Part B

Q. I signed up for Medicare in 2015, and now I’m signed up for Social Security. I’ve been asked about signing up for Part B; when I had checked about it last year I was told that I didn’t have to sign up — it was up to me. Should I get Part B? If I should but end up not signing up, I imagine it’s going to cost me a lot of money.

A. No, you don’t have to sign up for Medicare Part B. Many eligible enrollees in the FEHB program decline that coverage because they believe the benefits don’t match the premiums. However, others have compared their current and future needs with the costs and found it worth the the extra expense. In the end, deciding whether to take Part B is a personal matter.